Blinken assures support for Sri Lanka as China, US envoy discuss crisis here

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the U.S. stands ready to work with Sri Lanka, in close coordination with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the international community. In a twitter post, the US Secretary of State said he had a good call with new Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“Good call today with new Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. During these economically and politically challenging times, the US stands ready to work with Sri Lanka, in close coordination with the International Monetary Fund and the international community,” Blinken tweeted.

The US Secretary of State’s comment was made in the wake of the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong meeting his U.S. counterpart Julie Chung in Colombo on June 13. They held discussions on “broad topics of mutual interest” and pledged support in helping Sri Lanka mitigate its crippling economic crisis.

The economic crisis has prompted an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and other fuel, toilet paper, and even matches, with Sri Lankans being forced to wait in lines lasting hours, outside stores to buy fuel and cooking gas.

“Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met the U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung at the Chinese Embassy on June 13 and had a friendly discussion on broad topics of mutual interest. China and the United States could work together to help Sri Lanka overcome current difficulties,” a tweet from the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said.

Commenting on the meeting, US Ambassador Chung said discussions centered on the current political and economic situation in Sri Lanka and asserted that there was an exchange of ideas on trade investment and development.

Both envoys agreed on the need to jointly come forward in helping Sri Lanka weather through the current economic and political crisis.